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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28383528">Santa Please Gift Riddle a Childhood</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanoodlesUoodles/pseuds/CanoodlesUoodles'>CanoodlesUoodles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Issues, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Light Angst, Mommy Issues, Mother-Son Relationship, Other, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Kissing, Riddle's Mommy Issues, Royal Sword Academy (Twisted-Wonderland), Vomiting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:09:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28383528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanoodlesUoodles/pseuds/CanoodlesUoodles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Riddle sighed, straightening his uniform jacket. Everyone bidded him good luck but he may need a miracle for the troubles he was going to face. </p><p>(A little moment between Riddle and my mc over the Christmas break Aka I was worried about Riddle during the 4th chapter)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Grim &amp; Deuce Spade &amp; Ace Trappola &amp; Original Character(s), Grim &amp; Yuu | Player (Twisted-Wonderland), Riddle Rosehearts &amp; Original Character(s), Riddle Rosehearts/Original Female Character(s), Riddle Rosehearts/Yuu | Player</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Santa Please Gift Riddle a Childhood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>⚠️Warnings⚠️: Toxic family members/reference to past abuse/vomiting</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The holidays with the family are special.</p><p> </p><p>Commonly surrounded by those who love and cherish you. Having your stomach be filled to the bream with savory foods. Others nod off to the elders that talk humbly about the days when so and so were younger, or meeting the family friends that kept in contact after college/highschool. However, not everyone is guaranteed the same experiences.</p><p> </p><p>Riddle stood in front of the closed gates of a snowy wonderland being Night Raven College. His red hair soaked by the ever falling snowflakes while his face was covered uselessly by a red and black knitted scarf, he wore nothing effective to shield him from the raspy winds of winter. His eyes glimpsed absentmindedly to the deserted college. His fingers crawled up the closed frosted bars, while his palms etched into the harsh temperature, he wasn’t concerned.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He remembered sitting at the end of the table, his father and mother sitting across from each other eating diligently.  It was the 2nd day of the holiday break, traditionally to go spend some quality family time, yet tiny porcelain nicknacks that hung above and sat on the shelves stared down at him as if he was an imposter nothing like the one that left home at the beginning of the year.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Riddle directed his head to the food in front of him. His eyes examine the heat that came off his filled plate. His mother being the successful doctor she was, always made sure Riddle never overeat and that applied to special occasions. His throat was parched regardless of how much water he drank. The dread that nestled in his mind before this encounter, slipped out his ears to the end of the table staring at him expectantly, his appetite was sullied. To distract it, he coughed in his napkin.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> "Mother, we need to talk." </em> </p><p> </p><p>His head and his heart stomped with the power of stampeding buffaloes. flashbulbs went off in his head. <em> "How dare you say such things like that, after all, I did for you!" Her fiery eyes bore down at him. He sat still at his seat.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘One, two, three, four,..’ He counted in the back of his mind, his fingertips rubbing on the fork’s intricate design. ‘We need this talk,’ He reminded himself. He explained to her that he over blotted because of the overuse of his magic on others for not following the specific and out-dated rules of his dorm which opened the conversation of his mother’s strict rules, and how much they caused him great stress as a child and still to this day. He suggested loosening rules in the house but that triggered her to give him a lecture about his 'disrespect'. Amid his mother’s yells about his ‘awful’ behavior, he sneaked a glance at his father. His father’s red hair covered his face, his head was bowed to the plate. He was ignoring this…. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Riddle leaned his forehead on the gates. He knew why he was here, his brain screamed the reason like bloody murder. It's what set him off. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "I waited patiently for your return, expecting to hear great news yet you come back demanding me to change MY rules! We should transfer you to the Royal Sword Academy since that college is turning you into an ingrate!"  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>His eyes dripped hot tears while his flushed cheeks quivered at the unbalanced heat. This school was a starting place for his confidence, his growth. Riddle worked hard to become dorm leader, gained friends of his own, held unbirthday parties, even started to learn how to bake treats; one's that his mother would gouge him about the unnecessary sugar in them. To start all over and be transferred to another school as punishment for letting his mind go afar and 'talking back'…he couldn't remember anything after that phrase. His mind pressed on how he came here, but the longer he spent wondering, the urge to bend forward grew. </p><p> </p><p>His mouth salivated bitterly while his pulse jumped faster. He quickly pulled his scarf down and heaved up all the horrid feelings he carried in him. Riddle's whole body ached, his toes and fingers tingled immensely, frostbite was crawling in. He took the back of his long sleeve shirt to wipe the excessive spit. </p><p> </p><p>"Riddle?! Is that you? Why are you here?" A worrisome voice calls out to him.</p><p> </p><p> He lifted his head trying to identify the speaker but his vision became speckled by tiny black dots. <em> 'Sleeping would be great right now.' </em>He dizzyingly thought. </p><p> </p><p>"RIDDLE!!" </p>
<hr/><p>Soft murmurers filled his ears. He felt a small weight on his chest while a damp heat caressed his forehead. Riddle vaguely thought he was home, the soft cushions and the lingering smell of cookies swirled to his nose. His eyes slowly fluttered open. He noticed the creamy walls and tiny Christmas decorations that hung up. Riddle was gonna lay there for another minute until </p><p> </p><p>"HEY! HE'S UP LYRIC!!" </p><p> </p><p>Riddle scrunched his face up, quickly pushing Grimm off his chest. "Hey!-" The small flame monster started but a new voice sternly interrupted him. </p><p> </p><p>“Grimm pipe down, his head could be hurting.” Riddle’s eyes flint over to see Lyric in a white apron wiping her hands down, dual-colored curls pulled back. The smell of cinnamon radiated off her, She must’ve been preparing for dinner. Within a few minutes of consciousness, he became aware of soft shivers playing through his legs and arms.</p><p> </p><p> "You were out in the cold for a long time, so you may have Hypothermia.” Lyric said, pulling off her apron. Grimm jumped on the table, his paws on his hips.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah! Why were you out there in the first place? Aren’t you supposed to be at home with your family?” The tiny monster asked, failing to catch the way Riddle freezes. Lyric noticed and went after Grimm’s collar. He yelped, snapping into her direction indignant. </p><p> </p><p>“You have the gall to be asking him such things when you didn’t answer my questions before he woke.” She shifted the interrogation on to him. Grimm sweated as his eyes darted away to a random area. Riddle watches weakly at the useless attempt of lying Grimm tries to pull. Lyric sighed, dropping him back on the table. "Scurry off to the kitchen, and <b> <em>don't </em> </b>eat any of the tuna, I don't have the time to go back and fetch more." She ordered watching him walk away, tail between his legs. </p><p> </p><p>Lyric turns towards Riddle. "I got a bath ready for you, it may have cooldown by now. You don't mind me helping you up?" She asked him. Riddle nodded, in turn, she gently placed her hand on his lower back, steadily helping him up.</p><p> </p><p>They walked down the hallway of the dorm. Riddle noticed how lively Ramshackle became, the floor had crimson carpeting with the walls cream white with pale yellow lining. He was so focused on the designs that he didn't realize they arrived at the dorm leader’s bathroom. </p><p> </p><p>"I managed to convince the headmaster to spare me some extra fundings to fix this dorm up particularly the bathrooms." She said, pushing the door revealing the spacious room. </p><p> </p><p>Riddle walked in, the lingering warmth tried to seep through his clothes. He soon caught a glimpse of him in the mirror. His eyes widened at how sickly he looked. Embarrassment zapped his brain into becoming hyper-aware of his body. </p><p> </p><p>"I'll be back to give you some clothes. Holler if you need anything,” Lyric said closing the door. </p><p> </p><p>He stared at himself before letting out a heavy sigh. He glanced at the bathtub filled halfway with water. Everything seemed optional to Riddle at the moment. His mind recalled earlier events with a muffled tone, his body felt worn and used...would take off his clothes matter? </p><p> </p><p>"No, no, you'll weigh yourself down by doing that." He muttered, shucking his clothes. </p><p> </p><p>Riddle entered the lukewarm water, sliding his back towards the front of the tub. The water came off loud with every movement. He didn’t mind, it distracted him from opening the door of feelings that were rambling in the background. Slowly sliding down into the water to where his face was the only thing left untouched. Riddle grimaced at the thought of Lyric coming back and seeing him crying in a tub. Nothing screams instability more than a mental breakdown in a tub. </p><p> </p><p><b> <em>Lyric</em></b>. Riddle sunk further into the water. <b> <em>She has no family and is staying in a run-down dormitory</em></b>. His eyes squeezed tight in hopes of relief at the slow forming pit in his stomach.  <b> <em>You have a family yet you ran now you dump yourself onto someone who can't see their family. </em> </b> The scrunches of his nose started to spasm harshly, his ears filled with water trying to ignore the dark voice.  <b> <em>Do you care to know how she feels?! </em> </b>Shooting out of the water, gasping. He squirmed around trying to rub the water out of his eyes, a knock on the door quickens him to finish. </p><p> </p><p>“Riddle? I’m coming in with your things.” </p><p> </p><p>Squinting in the direction he heard Lyric in, he saw some loose clothing with three gifts tucked tight at her side. Lyric moved to set the clothes on the sink, she sat down in front of the sink. “I got you a few other things that you can open later or now,” She said, placing three gifts on the ground next to her. Lyric picked one up to show Riddle. They were all neatly wrapped in green with a sparkly silver bow on top. “I was gonna give them to you after winter break since I didn’t have any time to learn about mailing them to yalls homes.” </p><p> </p><p>Her head leaned low against the rim of the tub. “Are you feeling a bit better?” The pause rested on his shoulders. He thought she knew or at least had an inkling of what’s going on. He opened his mouth then closed it. </p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t call anyone if you're wondering...Grimm and I and the ghosts are the only people who know you're here," Lyric said as she straightened her back.“You don’t have to explain yourself to me but if you wish to stay, I can prepare a room for you.” A few minutes of silence settled between them before Lyric stood, heading for the door. Riddle bit his lip watching her go. </p><p> </p><p>"Thank you for the clothes...and the gifts and the bath…" Awkwardly he sunk in the water, maybe he should've said that when she first arrived. She glanced over her shoulder, and her face sported a soft smile. </p><p> </p><p>"No problem, also foods ready, so if you're up for eating which I would recommend, but if not, it's there for you." With that, she closed the door allowing him to be alone again. </p><p> </p><p>Riddle raised his hands. "I better get out soon, they're pruning a bit." He muttered. </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After he finished washing up, his stomach grumbled as he was checking his appearance in the mirror. The clothes Lyric gave him were a thick sweatshirt with baggy pants patterned with Rudolph the red-nose reindeer. He wondered if she purposely gave him Rudolph because of red or that's what she had left. He wasn’t complaining though, they were snuggly. He looked down at the three gifts still set near the bathtub, he picked the presents up deciding to open them in front of Lyric to see her reaction. He shuffled out of the bathroom down the hall. Riddle knew he was getting closer to the foyer when he smelt a thick scent of ham and stuffing wafting through. </p><p> </p><p>Entering, he placed the gifts on the coffee table before appearing in the kitchen. He noted how decorative the kitchen as compared to the foyer and hallways. Sitting at the end of the table, Grimm was stuffing his face full of various foods, while the ghost sat across from Lyric telling her stories about their past Christmas. She laughed wildly at them, a few tears slipping out. </p><p> </p><p>She raised her head wiping her face until she noticed Riddle standing at the entrance like a puppy, eyes wide and observant. " Hey Riddle, we have a plate and seat ready for ya!" She said, pulling back a chair next to her.</p><p> He shyly nodded to the ghost across from him. The ghosts nodded back at him, the lanky one spoke. “Welcome Riddle, the name's Walker. We’re just telling Lyric a little story about us going to a holiday party, Louie here got stuck in the Christmas tree." Throwing a thumb at the shorter ghost beside him. "Bill and I had to take him back home in the tree to have that alchemy professor help get him out." </p><p>The large ghost who Riddle believes was Bill laughed boisterously, slapping a pat against Louie. "Watching him be frazzled by some eggnog was funny, he didn't realize he was the tree!" </p><p> </p><p>Walker and Bill laughed louder as Louie huffed, his ghostly completion becoming a bright red, making Riddle inwardly surprised and empathetic for him.</p><p> </p><p>"Stop picking on him, don't yall got homes to visit too?" Lyric said as she picked up their plates. The ghosts nodded, gathering themselves as they waved goodbyes to Riddle, Lyric, and Grimm. </p><p> </p><p>The kitchen lessened in its homely chaos, Grimm still ate furiously as if someone was gonna take the tuna off his plate. Riddle munched away, zoning out in his surroundings. He didn't notice Lyric taking her seat back after placing the dishes in the sink. </p><p> </p><p>"How is it?" </p><p> </p><p>Riddle heard her, glancing. "It's good, I like it. A lot sweeter than what my mother makes." He replied solemnly. She smiled brightly at him. </p><p> </p><p>"That's great! I was worried everything would come off blandly."</p><p> </p><p>Grimm quickly took a paw to his mouth wiping any crumbs of food. "Yeah, I'm lucky to have a minion like you know how to cook! It's gonna be so hard not to eat everything in the next few days!" He laughed before grabbing a plate filled with beef sandwiches. </p><p> </p><p>Lyric set her hand down on the plate. "I'm glad that you like my cooking but we need to stock up on some and besides you're gonna get a stomach ache with how fast you're eating." The monster grumbled at her warning. Grimm opened his mouth to protest though it turned into a large yawn. </p><p> </p><p>Riddle watched Lyric pick him up, cradling him like a baby. He smiled at the exasperated expression Lyric gave him when Grimm snuggled deep into her arms. </p><p> </p><p>"I'll be back, I have to take this baby upstairs, you can eat whatever you want!" She says as Grimm waved a paw of a bye to him. He soon finished his plate, having eaten some small sandwiches and sides. He placed his plate in the sink and skipped over to the foyer to sit at the couch, his feet were starting to feel cold. He rubbed his hands together fastly to put them on his feet. His eyes glanced to the presents he had yet to open. Three gifts for him, it made me wonder if she got gifts for other people too. Reaching over to one of them, Lyric came downstairs. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, you haven't opened any of your gifts yet?" </p><p> </p><p>Riddle blushed lightly."I wanted to open them in front of you since I would’ve felt awkward doing it by myself." He explained extracting the silver bow off. </p><p> </p><p>She sat down next to him eyeing at how ready he was tearing the wrapping. Upon opening, Riddle saw two items in the box. He got a packet of short and long socks and a silver bracelet. Lyric chuckled at him fastly ripping the sock packet, she noted to turn up the heating later. With his feet now covered, Riddle gazed back at the bracelet. It was shimmering as the Christmas lights bounced off it, holding it up, he saw four charms swaying. </p><p> </p><p>"I didn't know if you like jewelry, but I got that since there is a bejeweled tart on it and it reminded me of you. The other charms are a hedgehog, a rose, and a crown." She described, watching him slip the bracelet around his wrist easily. Despite how reserved he was on the outside, his heart was warmed by the gift. Swiping a thumb on the tiny ruby tart, his eyes watered. Swift memories of him, Trey, and the others baking a bunch of sweets after school surfaced in his mind. Lyric noticed his form crumpled placing a hand on his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>She opened her mouth to speak but was intervened by Riddle’s abrupt move to hug her. His fist balled in her shirt, leaning his head on her chest. She felt jitters spread throughout him, in turn, she found herself rubbing his back softly. </p><p> </p><p>In a tight garbled voice, he cried. "Mother plans to take me out of here...she told me I was gaining bad habits and that the accident was due to my lack of seriousness." </p><p> </p><p>Lyric’s chest inflated in fury, her eyes shiny and narrowed at the mention of his mother’s ignorance towards him. </p><p> </p><p>"I don't want to leave, I don't want to leave you, and Trey, Cater, and the others. I want to keep having unbirthday parties, and eat strawberry tarts!" He wept harder, reminding Lyric when he first came too from his over blot. She hugged him until he finished sobbing his eyes onto her shirt. Moving her hands from his back to hold the sides of his face. His silver eyes linked to her earthy browns, dried streaks painted his flush facade. </p><p> </p><p>"You're not gonna go anywhere, okay... you'll have your unbirthday parties and you won't lose us. Despite what she says, this is your life, not hers. And I understand that she's your mom but you're both individuals." She whispers pushing the messy strands of his hair. "Riddle, you have improved immensely from the blot, you recognized the harm you were causing to others and yourself. You made an effort to compromise and be civil instead of controlling everything. She used your incident to weaponize against <em> YOU </em> for <em> HER </em> gain, <em> that </em>is disrespectful. You have the right to express your discomfort and if she can't acknowledge your pain not just as a mother but out of consideration then you shouldn't worry about her opinion since they're not considering your wellbeing." She ended by planting a small peck on his forehead, which made him close his eyes and savor the kind affection. </p><p> </p><p>Laying his hands weakly over hers, he glanced carefully at her. "I'm sorry Lyric to burden you with this, I shouldn't be unloading this on you…” He spoke somberly. A scarce expression flashed across her face, lightly increasing her grip on Riddle.</p><p> </p><p>“Riddle you’re not disturbing me, I want you to feel comfortable to talk out your feelings. We’re friends, I will be around when you’re feeling happy or sad. Whatever you have to say I will listen...unless you’re Ace.” Riddle smiled at the mention of the troublemaking first year. Lyric grinned at the sight of his smile. </p><p> </p><p>“If you want, you can remain here with me and Grimm all the way up till graduation!” She beams wrapping Riddle close. He chuckles nestling into her side. They relaxed in tender silence, clasping each other for comfort before Lyric spoke again.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah that reminds me, Cater put me in a group chat with Trey, Deuce and Ace called Riddle Search Squad and I blocked them, and now they’re individually calling me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Lyric!”</p><p>Riddle stayed the next day in Ramshackle but decided in the morning to stay over at Trey’s house for the coming days. He waved goodbye to Lyric and Grimm in the bus window. Keeping his eyes on them until they became tiny dots. He looked down at the bag of presents lodged in between his legs. His family may not surround him during the break but he will be surrounded by friends who do love and cherish him. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know Riddle has Che'nya at RSA but Riddle has spent his first years in NRC and I don't think he would fare well in a college where he only knows one person. But as always comments and critiques are welcomed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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